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TeV and multi-wavelength observations of Mrk421 in 2006-2008

  • V. A. Acciari
  • , E. Aliu
  • , T. Arlen
  • , T. Aune
  • , M. Beilicke
  • , W. Benbow
  • , D. Boltuch
  • , S. M. Bradbury
  • , J. H. Buckley
  • , V. Bugaev
  • , K. Byrum
  • , A. Cannon
  • , A. Cesarini
  • , L. Ciupik
  • , W. Cui
  • , R. Dickherber
  • , C. Duke
  • , A. Falcone
  • , J. P. Finley
  • , G. Finnegan
  • L. Fortson, A. Furniss, N. Galante, D. Gall, G. H. Gillanders, S. Godambe, J. Grube, R. Guenette, G. Gyuk, D. Hanna, J. Holder, C. M. Hui, T. B. Humensky, A. Imran, P. Kaaret, N. Karlsson, M. Kertzman, D. Kieda, A. Konopelko, H. Krawczynski, F. Krennrich, M. J. Lang, G. Maier, S. McArthur, M. McCutcheon, P. Moriarty, R. A. Ong, A. N. Otte, M. Ouellette, D. Pandel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We report on TeV γ-ray observations of the blazar Mrk421 (redshift of 0.031) with the VERITAS observatory and the Whipple 10 m Cherenkov telescope. The excellent sensitivity of VERITAS allowed us to sample the TeV γ-ray fluxes and energy spectra with unprecedented accuracy where Mrk421 was detected in each of the pointings. A total of 47.3 hr of VERITAS and 96 hr of Whipple 10 m data were acquired between 2006 January and 2008 June. We present the results of a study of the TeV γ-ray energy spectra as a function of time and for different flux levels. On 2008 May 2 and 3, bright TeV γ-ray flares were detected with fluxes reaching the level of 10 Crab. The TeV γ-ray data were complemented with radio, optical, and X-ray observations, with flux variability found in all bands except for the radio wave band. The combination of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and Swift X-ray data reveal spectral hardening with increasing flux levels, often correlated with an increase of the source activity in TeV γ-rays. Contemporaneous spectral energy distributions were generated for 18 nights, each of which are reasonably described by a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number25
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume738
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2011

Keywords

  • BL Lacertae objects: individual (Mrk 421)
  • X-rays: galaxies
  • galaxies: jets
  • galaxies: nuclei
  • gamma rays: galaxies

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